Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration with origins in Spain, now celebrated chiefly in Mexico, Guatemala and parts of the Southwestern United States[1][2], beginning December 16th and ending December 24th, on evenings (about 8 or 10 PM).
Posada is Spanish for "lodging", or "accommodation"; it is said in plural because it is celebrated more than one day in that period. The nine day novena represents the nine months of pregnancy.[3][4]
(... from Wikipedia on 2012-04-18 03:03:40)